Clubber's £42,000 Xmas drinks bill

A businessman walked into a West End nightclub and bought drinks for every punter - a gesture of generosity which set him back more than £42,000.

The man, who has requested not to be named, walked into Browns nightclub in Covent Garden just after midnight and asked for the DJ to turn the music down. He grabbed the microphone and declared to some 200 clubbers: "The drinks are on me."

After three hours of exchanging high-fives with punters who crowded six deep at the bar, he left having signed a colossal drinks tab and adding on a £4,734.35 tip.

When questioned about whether the story might just have been a PR stunt, club owner Richard Traviss said: "Absolutely not. We have yards of till receipts and electronic records. We also have the credit card receipt showing that one man paid for the lot. Unfortunately, he is adamant that he is not to be identified."

Mr Traviss added: "He was a really genuine and nice man. Some people flash money about to impress. That wasn't the case with this one. He was going round making sure everyone had a good time. I've never seen anything like it."

The German-born Spanish fruit importer toured the tables and dance floor taking drinks orders from scores of revellers. Till and credit card receipts show he spent £42,608.25.

That included buying Mr Traviss 40 bottles of £250 Cristal champagne for his 30th birthday at a cost of £10,000; 49 bottles of £325 Cristal Rose for punters at a cost of £15,925; 20 bottles of £120 Bollinger champagne costing £2,400; 20 Baileys shots costing £140 and 20 Sambuca shots costing £140.

The businessman is also known for similar generosity at the Pacha club in Ibiza and another club in Paris. One Browns reveller said: "No one could believe it at first. We thought this guy was joking."

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